A Kiss in the Rain
by fangirlflails
Summary: My rendition of how Brennan goes about her revelation at the end of The Doctor in the Photo. This story will come to you in multiple parts. Eventually.
1. Part 1

_**The Doctor in the Photo has to be one of my favorite episodes, but I really do wish it had gone differently, if only slightly. So, this is my rendition of events. It's a little fluffier, and maybe a little OOC, but I don't care, and hopefully neither do you. So, without further adieu, I present to you, A Kiss in the Rain.**_

_**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN BONES, THAT RIGHT BELONGS TO FOX AND HART HANSON. THIS STORY DOES USE A BIT OF EXACT DIALOG, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE COMES DIRECT TO YOU FROM MY VERY OWN BRAIN.**_

* * *

Brennan gasped as Booth seemingly came out of nowhere, pulling her from the road, and most certainly her death.

"Bones, what are you doing here?!" He yelled at her.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She retorted.

"Oh, I dunno, following you to a bad part of town and saving your life?" He panted. "You know, the usual, your turn."

"Lauren came to Woodland to beg the family of a brain-dead boy to give his heart to Sam Dworsky"

"Oh, so what? They were the ones that killed her?"

"No, Booth," Brennan laughed halfheartedly at his conjecture. "When Lauren was really disappointed or upset, it's like Sweets said, she couldn't handle the intense emotions, so she'd do something dangerous."

"Right, like coming here in the middle of the night."

Brennan smiled, acknowledging his understanding of the situation. "I- Im not her, we're not the same person at all! Its just… The universe, it turned upside down for three days."

Booth gazed at Brennan, not really understanding what she was saying. "What happened to her?" He asked.

"She bought the heroin, for the danger of it. To feel something." Brennan's tone changed, became deeper, more emotional. "She put it in her pocket, she got hit by a car. Just like I almost did." She felt the tears forming, threatening to fall. "The impact explains the defensive wounds, she struck her head over there," she said, pointing to the very spot Booth had just pulled her from.

"So it was the driver that buried her in the park," Booth said in agreement.

"I can't prove any of this," Brennan sighed.

"I know," Booth replied.

"But you still believe me?" She questioned him.

"Yeah," The trademark 'Boothy' grin appeared on his face. "Of course I do, alright? Let me take you home, come on," He said, placing his hand at her elbow to lead her back to the SUV.

"Booth," She hesitated. "Wait, I-" She stopped short. Emotions were not her strong suit. Telling people how she felt, telling Booth, it was terrifying.

"What's wrong, Bones?" He questioned.

Brennan couldn't hold her resolve anymore. The tears fell from her eyes, and though the rain obscured them, Booth could tell that she was crying. She hung her head, breathy sobs now escaping her. "I'm so sorry, Booth. I'm so sorry,"

"Sorry?" He said, hooking a finger under her chin to bring her eyes to his. "Why are you sorry?"

She let another sob escape, but gathered herself quickly, forcing the cries to quiet themselves as she once again put on the façade that shone day to day. Brennan took a deep breath and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his gingerly, his hand moved to her shoulder to push her away, but she pulled away before he could. "I'm sorry for crushing your heart, even when I wanted nothing more than to welcome you into my own," she sighed, dropping her gaze to the ground once more. "I'm sorry, Booth. All I have ever wanted is for you to be happy, but I couldn't look past my own selfish insecurities, and I'm sorry that we missed our moment."

"Bones…" Booth was speechless. Brennan had finally, actually proclaimed her love for him. He had waited years for this moment, and now he was the one who couldn't accept it. "I'm- I'm with Hannah now, I love her." His voice cracked, knowing that his words would hurt his partner.

"I know that. I wasn't asking you to leave her. Hannah is a very lovely woman, Booth. She's good for you, she makes you happy. She's very lucky. It doesn't mean that some part of me wishes you would, but I know that she makes you happy, and I could never ask you to dispose of your happiness."

"If you're not asking," Booth stopped, taking a deep breath. "Then why are you telling me this now?"

"I don't know, I guess… It's just this case," She threw her hands up in exasperation, quickly refolding them at her chest. "Lauren, she died regretting that she never gave the pilot a chance. She gave me a new perspective on my life, Booth. I now understand the signals that the universe has been sending. I don't want to die with regrets. I just wanted you to know that it was never my intention to hurt you, I only ever intended to protect myself from the unknown." Brennan wiped her face and sniffled. "I find that being completely honest with you is absolutely terrifying, and yet it is totally and completely gratifying. I just hope… I hope that you can find it in your metaphoric heart not to hate me."

"Bones, I don't hate you. I could never hate you…" Booth didn't know what else to say.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," She said with finality. They stood in silence, the rain still pouring over them. Brennan sighed, and stepped closer to Booth. "I promise I will never, and I say that even though I do not believe in absolutes, ever do this again," She whispered, bringing her lips to his once more. Booth didn't deny her gesture, or really even accept it. He stood, his eyes locked on hers, even though she had closed them. He saw the sadness in her eyes as she looked up and pulled away, putting her hand to her mouth. "That was a goodbye, nothing more. Now, I'd like very much to go home and change, as I am sure you would as well. Standing here in the rain was rather an idiotic decision," Brennan said, already walking towards his SUV.

Booth was dumbfounded. He still couldn't form a coherent thought, but he decided that he agreed with her, at least on the standing in the rain issue, so he turned and followed her back to the car.

He grabbed the towels from his gym bag so they could attempt to remove some moisture from their thoroughly soaked clothing before getting in and cranking the engine. The drive to her apartment was quiet. Booth had so many questions, so much he wanted to know, and yet didn't want to know at the same time. He was with Hannah. He loved Hannah. Brennan had had her chance and she threw it away. He loved Hannah. Brennan's out of character confession had his mind reeling. He had to stop himself from traveling down the path of romantic moments with his partner multiple times, reminding himself that he was with Hannah, that Hannah was the one he loved, not Brennan, right?

The rain had subsided by the time they reached her apartment, only a slight mist came down now. Booth pulled over to the curb and threw the car in park. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what their future would hold now. Could they still be partners? Could they still solve crime together and not let the personal stuff get in the way?

"I should go," Brennan said quietly, pulling the door open.

"Yeah," Booth turned to her. "Yeah, okay."

Brennan tried to smile halfheartedly, but only seemed to muster a pitiful grimace. "Okay," she said awkwardly. "Bye then," and she stepped from the car shutting the door and walking toward her building.

"Hey Bones," He called after her as he rolled the passenger window down. She turned to look at him hopefully. "See you tom- soon?"

"Sure." And she turned, leaving Booth behind her as she disappeared into the half lit lobby of her apartment building.

* * *

Brennan kept her composure as she took the stairs two at a time, but by the time she reached her door and had the key in the deadbolt, she was fighting back tears. She turned the lock and opened the door, throwing her bag and keys aside as she closed the door, slumping to the floor. She was breathing heavily, the tears flowing freely.

Booth hadn't said anything, not really. He'd said that he was with Hannah now. She knew this. He said that he loved her, also something she was very aware of. She knew that there was only the slightest of chances that Booth would drop Hannah and come running back to her, she knew this, and yet she opened herself up to the heartache, and now that she was in the privacy of her home, crying to herself over the love that she refused, she couldn't blame him.

He had waited for her to open herself up to him, had waited years, hoping that she would recognize the love that he was so obviously giving her. She had denied him time and time again, and now she decided that she deserved this pain. She deserved to feel the pain that she had made him feel. And yet, she let herself cry, knowing that it wasn't rational to be so sad about something she technically hadn't even lost because she'd never owned it. But she cried, she let the sobs wreak havoc on her body.

After what felt like hours, Brennan's tears had finally subsided. Her breathing was almost even again. She pulled herself from the floor, her joints popping, her clothes now uncomfortably pasted to her skin, grabbed her messenger bag and headed for her room. She stripped the damp clothes and took a hot shower. When she was done, she couldn't even bring herself to look in the mirror, she didn't want to see the hurt she knew was perceptible on her face.

As she thumbed through her drawer trying to decide what she'd sleep in, she saw the t-shirt at the bottom of a pile near the back. It was just a plain old black FBI t-shirt, but it was his. He had lent it to her after Parker had tripped and thrown his slushie right onto her chest. Her breath caught at the memory. Booth had been afraid that Parker thought he wasn't happy, so he had started taking Brennan with them for the occasional weekend activity per Sweets' suggestion. She'd promised that she would wash it and return it to him the next day, but they had gotten a call about a case and she'd forgotten about it.

She knew it probably wasn't the rational thing to do, but she'd already done enough irrational things today, so what could it hurt? She pulled the shirt from her drawer and slipped it over her head. It was loose on her, but she didn't mind. It was comfortable.

After she was dressed and ready for bed, she took her phone from her bag and dialed a number as she situated herself on the edge of her bed.

"_Hello?"_

"Hi, Russ."

"_Tempe, what time is it? What's wrong, are you okay?"_

"It's really late, I'm sorry. I should have waited until morning, I'll let you get back to sleep-"

"_Tempe, no, I'm already awake, what's up?"_

"I-" She didn't know what to say. How could she tell her brother that she had finally opened up to Booth, after she had so fiercely rejected him? "Do you mind if I just come down and visit?" Her breath hitched, threatening more tears.

"_Yeah, sure. It's been a while since everyone's seen you, I'm sure the girls will be thrilled."_

"Thank you, Russ. Thank you. I… I'll call you again tomorrow, after I've booked my flight."

"_Okay, sounds good. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I love you, Tempe"_

"I love you too." She broke down again as she pressed the 'end' button on her phone, locking the screen and setting it on her bedside table. Her tears were silent this time, and she let them fall, let herself fall into the emotions that just wouldn't let her go. She felt ashamed. She felt sad. She felt empty. She would adapt. She would move on, go back to her work, her science, her real love. She would be okay. Eventually.

* * *

_**K so, Brennan is a tad bit better about being openly honest. I like Honest Brennan. I like catching a glimpse of her mind. So yeah. I'm working on the next installment now, but I'm not sure when I will have it posted. I hope I get enough feedback to make me want to post more! Yep…. So…. Yeah. Feed my muse with good reviews?**_

_**P.S. This story is unbeta'd. I don't really have any writing buddies in the Bones fandom, so, feel free to call me out on misspellings or bad grammar or whatever else. I always aim to improve! Okay cool. I haven't slept more than five hours in the last three days, so I am going to go pass out now. I hope I wake to reviews so I can write with a fresh brain tomorrow.**_

_**Best wishes! Xoxoxo**_


	2. Part 2

_**Hey! Thank you guys so much for all of the great reviews and interest in this story. This chapter is a bit longer than I would have liked, but the story went in its own little direction. I hope your interest in the story is still peaked enough to read on!**_

_**WARNING: For all of you Hannah Haters, sorry, but she is in this chapter, and yeah. If you'd rather not read about Hannah, then skip the first half?**_

_**I don't own Bones, by the way, although, it would be pretty awesome if I did. There would be a bit more B&amp;B Fluff then there is currently :3**_

* * *

Booth stared after her as she pulled the door to the lobby of her building, went inside and headed for the stairs. He decided that he would wait until she got to her door, until she turned on the lights. When she turns on the lights it means that she's okay, that she will be okay. As he sat waiting and waiting, the lights never coming on, he let his thoughts wander.

_Bones is in love with me…_ _Bones loves me, but I love Hannah .I love Hannah. I love Hannah. I still love Bones. I can't stop loving her. But Hannah, I love her. I love her so much. I want to be with her. I love Hannah more than Bones, right? But…Bones, she's in pain. I want to comfort her, need to comfort her… I shouldn't want that if I'm in love with Hannah, right?_

It had been over an hour and her lights still hadn't come on. He decided that it meant that she had more than likely just gone straight to bed. _Bones is a grown woman and can take care of herself, Seeley. She doesn't need you coming to her rescue, especially right now, not after she opened herself up. If you go up there, you'll just do the opposite of help._ Booth went back and forth, trying to reason out a scenario in which he could still be the comforting friend and not the lost love. But he couldn't. He knew he would be the lost love, no matter what. So he went home.

* * *

The door shut quietly and he turned the deadbolt. He unholstered his gun and placed it in the hidden bookshelf safe by the door. He took off his jacket and placed it on the coat rack, even though it was still sopping wet.

"Hey baby, I thought you'd never get here," Said a sultry voice coming from his living room.

Alarmed, Booth cursed himself for already locking the safe, but his subconscious warned him that the voice wasn't dangerous, that it was someone he knew, trusted, loved.

He turned the corner, and there Hannah was, posing on his couch. He took in the sight of the blonde wearing a black lace nightie and gasped. "Hannah? Hannah!" He ran over to the couch and kissed her feverishly. After a moment, he pushed away, holding her out so he could examine her face. "Hannah, what are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home from Dallas for another two days?!" he exclaimed.

"The last few days of the event were cancelled. The senator's sister died, so they had to leave for the funeral." She answered simply. "Why are you sopping wet, Seeley?"

"Oh, well. Okay," he said, accepting her explanation. "There was a case… and… Its complicated. We got caught in the rain is all." Booth tried to explain without going into detail, but he could tell by Hannah's ever changing expressions that it wasn't working. New tactic, he decided. "I love what you're wearing, by the way. I've never seen this one before," He pinched the thin lace between his fingers, his voice growing huskier with each word.

"I thought you'd like it," Hannah purred. "I had some free time, so I went shopping. I couldn't stop thinking about you while I was gone." Booth could never quite handle that tone, and every word she said turned him on a little more. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I even had to pleasure myself once. I was in the ballroom of a swanky hotel and I started thinking about how handsome you would have looked there at that party. And then my thoughts, well…" She stopped, giggling slightly. "They went other places, and I was thinking about you ripping my dress off, and I was throwing bits of your tux everywhere, and-"

Booth cut her off with a kiss, deep and passionate. "What happened… Next?" he questioned between kisses. His hands moved down her body to the hem of the nightie, pulling it up. She wasn't wearing anything underneath.

"Well," she started again, panting as she tried to regain a steady breath. "I was so hot for you that at that point I just had to have a release, so I looked around and made sure that no one really needed me, or could notice me slipping away, and I went to the bathroom, and I ran to a stall, locked the door and hiked my dress up. I thought about you touching me, but I knew you couldn't, so I pretended that my hand was yours, and I touched myself. I came twice." Hannah smirked as Booth let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"That is so hot," his voice cracked.

"It was, but it was nothing compared to the real you…" Hannah whispered, clawing at the buttons of his wet shirt.

Booth was conflicted. He was so turned on, but he was also a whole mess of other emotions. He was happy to see Hannah, and he decided that she was a welcome distraction. Booth stood up and removed his wet clothes hastily, throwing them into a pile by the couch. "I missed you so much, Hannah."

She grinned again, happy that Booth was more than ready to take her. "Should I take this off…" She moved her hands to the hem of her nightie, inching the fabric up her thighs. "Or do you want the honor?"

Booth lifted her from the couch and swiftly headed for his bedroom. Hannah's legs locked around his hips, her now wet folds grinding against his abdomen. She could feel him hardening beneath her as he walked, but she couldn't wait any longer. She attacked his mouth with his, open mouthed and urgent. "Take me now, right here," She said into his ear before she moved along his jaw, her hands clawing at his back.

"Right here?" Booth said, stopping in the hallway.

"Yes," Hannah gasped in-between kisses. "Take me against the wall."

"That is so hot," Was all he could manage before turning and thrusting her against the wall. Hannah moaned in pleasure as Booth conceded her request, his erection now waiting at her entrance. He kissed her hard, his hands moving to mold her breasts while his body kept her firm against the wall.

"Yes, baby, right here, against the wall," Booth slid into her with a hard thrust, and they both gasped at the contact, their foreheads resting against the others. He continued the pace, short and fast, kisses along eachothers faces, necks, groping hands. They sighed together, enjoying the moment. Booth opened his eyes and was startled at the sight, and his thrusting faltered. It wasn't Hannah who was staring back at him with confused eyes, but Brennan.

"Baby what's wrong?" The voice didn't match the face.

"Huh?" Booth closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to shake the image from his mind.

"Are you okay?" Hannah said, and to his relief, when he opened his eyes, Hannah was staring at him.

"Wha- yeah. I'm fine. I just… Never mind," Booth was angry now, his kisses and thrusts were even more urgent than they had been before. Hannah appreciated his newfound urgency; she'd never had such passionate sex before.

Booth moved his hands back to Hannah's waist and held her against him tight, trying not to break the connection as he moved them the rest of the way to the bedroom.

Hannah moaned as he laid on the bed, letting her take the lead for once. She didn't waste a second as she repositioned herself and began rocking back and forth. Booth closed his eyes and let out a sigh as she did a number on him. Her motions became faster and her walls began to clench with the oncoming orgasm. Booth however, kept loosing focus and wasn't really paying too much attention to his own pleasure. Every time he opened his eyes, he saw Brennan's face where Hannah's should have been. The sight was now oddly welcome, but felt completely wrong. Hannah was becoming fatigued now, right on the brink of release, so Booth flipped them once again. He brought his attention back to her, his hips thrusting hard and angry, hoping somehow he could pound away the image of Brennan and bring back Hannah.

Her walls clamped around him, and he sent a few final thrusts into her as her orgasm brought on his. He collapsed on top of her, the two panting together.

"Oh my god, Seeley," Hannah gasped. "Where have you been hiding that?" She said in amazement as Booth rolled off of her.

"What?" he responded, a little confused. "I didn't do anything I don't normally do, did I?"

"Baby, that was amazing. You've never been so… I don't know. Passionate? Ferverous? I really don't know the word for it, but damn. _That _was so amazing. I cant believe you've been holding out on me!"

"Oh, yeah. Right…" he said, still not sure of what he had or hadn't done. The two laid in silence for a few minutes before Booth's exhaustion finally caught up with him. "Hey, I've got to be at the Bureau early, so I'm just going to turn in, okay?" He said as he got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Sure, baby. I've got breakfast at the White House in the morning anyways," She said, moving to the dresser on the far wall to grab one of Booth's t-shirts.

Booth finished in the bathroom and snatched a clean pair of boxers from his dresser and crawled into bed. He kissed Hannah softly, and then turned over so his back was facing her. "Night," he said sleepily, a yawn accenting his tiredness.

"Night," she whispered as she cuddled up to him.

Booth wished that she hadn't molded herself to him. As much as he loved her, he really just wanted to be alone with his thoughts tonight.

* * *

Brennan closed her laptop and sighed, picked up her phone, and dialed her brother's number. The phone rang through to voicemail. "Hi, Russ, It's me Temperance. I just wanted to let you know that I have decided to drive down instead of flying. This way, you won't have to pick me up, and I won't have to rent a car. Anyways, I need to get to the lab, I haven't told Cam about my vacation yet. If all goes well, I will be on the road by 10, which means I should be in town by 5. Okay, well, I'll talk to you later, goodbye." She hung up and sighed again.

Brennan went to the spare room, grabbed her suitcase from the closet, and returned to her bedroom to pack. When she was done, she packed her laptop and a few case files to look over, just in case she had some free time. She took a last look around her apartment, making sure everything was in its place and all of the lights were off, closed and locked the door, and then headed for the Jeffersonian.

"Cam!" Brennan called after her boss as she walked through the doors to the Jeffersonian's Medico-Legal Lab.

Cam turned on her heal, startled. Brennan caught up to her, almost breathless. "I need to talk to you. Its… Its very important." Brennan said uneasily.

"Okay…?" Cam questioned. "We can go to my office." The women walked silently aside from the faint clicking of heels on concrete, Cam wondering what could be so urgent, Brennan nervous about asking for leave on such short notice.

Brennan took a steadying breath while Cam shut the door to her office. "Cam, I… I need to take some time off. "

"Okay, I'm sure I can work something into the schedule," Cam replied.

"No, I mean… I'm leaving today. I'm going to be taking a legitimate vacation. As in, I'm going to be on a beach drinking copious amounts of alcohol."

"Oh! But… Dr. Brennan, this is such short notice, I-"

"I know, and I am sorry. I hadn't planned for this, but… Extenuating circumstances… I just need a little bit of time. And, if there is a case while I'm gone, you can call in Dr. Edison. I'm more than certain that he will be able to come in and take my place, he is very qualified. "

"I suppose that could work, but, I'm confused. Is everything okay? This is very unlike you, Dr. Brennan,"

"I'm very aware that this is uncharacteristic of me, but it seems that it is unavoidable, and, I wont be gone too long, I promise. I'm hoping to be back within two weeks," Brennan explained.

"Okay, I guess. And you're leaving today? Does Booth know what's going on?" Cam carried a concerned look.

"That's another thing…" Brennan sighed. "I'd consider it a personal favor if you could keep this from him. I don't want him to know where I am going because I'm certain that if he does know, he will come after me and try to drag me home, and I just need some time. Without him. I need some time to think things over,"

Cam's jaw dropped in understanding. "Something happened between you two, didn't it," she stated.

"Yes, but I would rather not talk about it." Brennan looked to the floor.

"Okay, no problem. I cant make any promises, but I will try my best to keep Booth at bay,"

"Thank you, Cam. It really means a lot to me," Brennan whispered her thanks, her emotions threatening to jump over their barrier.

"Things happen, Dr. Brennan, and I'm glad that you've actually decided to take some time off to think those things over. It really will be good for you to have some time off." Cam said gently. "I wouldn't want to keep you here and risk a breakdown or anything like that."

"I will be bringing my laptop with me, and my cell phone, but it will likely be turned off or ignored for the duration of my leave. I will make sure to check it and my emails at least once a day, so don't hesitate to contact me if you need me for anything." Brennan said matter of factly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go tell Angela that I'm leaving town. I'd hate for her to find out second hand. You know how she can be sometimes," Brennan half laughed, admiring her friend's firey nature.

"Have a safe trip, Temperance. Please be sure to call and let me know when you plan on returning home so I can schedule accordingly,"

"I will," Brennan said as she turned and left Cam's office.

Brennan hurried to Angela's office, glancing at her watch and noticing that it was nearly nine-thirty. She needed to get on the road soon.

She rounded the corner into her friend's office, finally setting her eyes on Angela, perched at her desk.

"Hey, sweetie," Angela beamed, happy to see her friend.

"Good morning, I just came by to inform you that I am going on an impromptu vacation," Brennan stated.

"Oh sweetie, that's great!" Angela said happily. "Wait, you're not going on a dig somewhere in the middle of nowhere, are you?"

"No, no digs. I'm going to be visiting a beach where I will relax and drink a high volume of alcoholic beverages. I'm not even leaving the country,"

"Well that really is fantastic. Its about time you took a real vacation! So when are you leaving? Where are you going?" Angela asked, truly confused as to why Brennan had neglected to share these details with her sooner.

"Oh, I have to be on the road within the next thirty minutes. It's a last minute thing," Brennan explained. "But, I cant tell you where I am going. If I tell you, then Booth will most likely pry the information from you somehow, and I would rather he didn't know where I was going."

"Wait, what? Does Booth even know that you're leaving?" Angela was worried now.

"No, and when he finds out that I'm gone, I'm more than certain that he will try to find out where I've gone and bring me home. I just need some time Angela, that's all. I promise that I will share my vacation location when I return, when I've thought some things through, okay?"

"Sure, sure sweetie," Angela said with a frown as she got up from her desk and walked over to her friend. "Just, don't do anything stupid, okay? Take care of yourself. Does anyone know where you are going?"

"No, just me. But, I will have my laptop and cell phone if I need to be reached. I will make sure to check them at least once per day." Brennan smiled. "Angela?"

"Yeah sweetie?"

"Can you promise me that you wont be mean to Booth when he inevitably comes to you hoping to find out where I am?"

"This is because of Booth? What did he do to you? What happened?" Angela was angry now, the thought of Booth hurting her best friend wasn't something she wanted to think about.

"He didn't do anything to me, Angela. I just need some time away from him. I have to think,"

"I cant make any promises about my actions toward him, sweetie, but I wont lead him to you, that's for sure."

"Thank you, Angela. I knew I could count on you."

Angela smiled at the compliment and embraced her friend. "Stay safe,"

"I will, I promise," Brennan said, breaking the embrace and heading for the door.

* * *

_**Ehhh? The next chapter is going to be a bit more interesting. We will see Booth storming around the lab looking for answers, and Brennan getting drunk on a beach, so at least you have something to look forward to!**_

_**Once again, If you see any errors or anything that just looks weird, don't be afraid to let me know. I am beta-less, and I'm just getting back into the writing game. I promise I wont bite!**_

_**If you like this chapter, or the story in general, be kind and leave a review? They feed my muse!**_

_**A/N: I will be leaving for New York in 3.5 days, so I am hoping that I can have the next chapter written in time to post before I leave, but if not, I will try to find some time to write while I'm there. I don't want to leave such big spaces in-between updates, but sometimes it is inevitable. Best wishes! xoxo**_


	3. Part 3

_**I've been laughing at the absurdity of it since Season 2, but it makes for a great story for me! Russ apparently lives in the same area of North Carolina as I do, so I know quite a bit about the vacationing opportunities and local favorites without having to do any research, so. This [and the next] installment is actually going to be quite fun to write. I hope you enjoy it! By the way, I know that this chapter is a long one. Sorry, not actually sorry.**_

_**Disclaimer, Bones doesn't belong to me. Shocker, I know.**_

_**BRACE YOURSELVES. THERE IS A VERY LONG BUT IMPORTANT A/N FROM ME AT THE BOTTOM. I hope you don't skip it. As always, I am beta-less, so if you see any mistakes, PLEASE TELL ME. Okay, now go read my story :3**_

* * *

Booth woke to an empty bed; Hannah had already left for the White House. He was happy that he didn't have to deal with her this morning; he had far too much on his mind. His dreams had consisted of nothing but Brennan and himself, their wedding day, raising a family, growing old together. When he thought of Hannah, he thought that he could imagine those things, but they just didn't feel right. It felt right with Brennan. It shouldn't have felt that way.

Booth went through his morning routine quietly, and before he realized how much time had passed in thought, he was staring at a memo in his office at the Bureau. A memo from the Jeffersonian that stated Dr. Brennan was going on an impromptu Sabbatical with a return date that said nothing more than 'TBA'. _"Bones is going on Sabbatical? Why didn't I know about it?"_ He thought to himself. He was furious. _"Why hadn't she told me?"_

Booth stormed out of his office, memo in hand, and headed straight for the Jeffersonian. When he arrived, he threw the car in park, and practically ran up stairs, his first destination being Brennan's office. Booth shuffled through the automated doors, immediately spotting Cam on the forensic platform. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before he stormed off towards Brennan's office. Cam sighed and removed her gloves and protective gear so she could head him off.

Booth looked in on the locked and darkened office, Brennan wasn't there, and hadn't been in a while. He sighed, exasperated.

"I guess I shouldn't have expected any less," Cam said quietly, looking at her friend with a concerned face.

"Where is she? How long is she going to be gone? Why didn't she tell me she was leaving? What happens if there's a case?" The words spilled from his mouth.

"Dr. Brennan did not disclose her intended vacation spot, nor did she tell me how long she'd be gone." Cam recited.

Booth threw his hands up. "What good are you? You're her boss! You're supposed to know these things!"

Cam held her hands up in surrender. "All I know is, she came in this morning and flagged me down with urgent news. She asked for some leave, she said she'd try to make her vacation no more than two weeks long, and that if she told me where it was she was going, that you'd just track her down and drag her home. And I completely agree. Booth, she needs some time away. She was… I don't know. Off. She could do with some time, Seeley."

"Don't call me Seeley, Camille."

Cam just rolled her eyes and walked off. "Maybe you'll have better luck with Angela?" She called over her shoulder as she swiped her key card for the platform.

_Angela. Of _course_ she would know where Bones is. Bones tells her everything!_

As if on cue, Angela exited her own office in search for Cam, and at the sight of Booth, she quickly turned around and ran back to her office. Unfortunately for her, Booth had already seen her and was heading her way.

"Angela! I know you know why I'm here," Booth called after her.

"I have nothing to say to you!" She called back. Booth hung on the doorway, peering inside the large office.

"Did she at least tell you _why_ she was so hell-bent on getting out of town so quickly?"

Angela realized that she wouldn't be getting away from this conversation, so she got up from her desk and walked over to Booth who was still standing in her doorway. "Unfortunately, no. All she said was that she needed time. She refused to tell me what from or why, so I can't even really be mad at you because I don't know what you did."

"What _I_ did?" Booth spat. "Why do you always assume that _I_ am the one who messed things up? Bones isn't perfect you know, maybe you should take a good hard look at your best friend!" He was enraged to the point of violence, but he forced himself to stay calm while he was still in view of his coworkers. He took one last pointed dirty look at Angela and stormed off.

_I can't _believe_ her. Of _course _she'd go and make this all my fault. Nothing is ever her fault. I can't believe I fell for a woman like her…..I can't believe I'm still head over heels for her after all she's put me through. I should probably talk to Hannah. She doesn't deserve this._

Booth had taken his suit jacket off as he walked back to the parking garage, and when he reached his SUV, he threw it forcefully to the ground in hopes it would ebb a little bit of his anger. Unfortunately, it didn't, but he decided it'd be a great time to hit the gym, and then maybe the range.

* * *

"Hi Russ, I was actually just about to call you," Brennan said as she turned down her blaring music.

"Tempe, are you listening to… Rap?"

"Hip-hop, yes. It's keeping my mind from wandering. I'd rather not be deep in thought while driving long distances, Russ. I almost caused an accident last time, so I thought I would save the deep thinking for when I actually settle into my hotel," She explained matter of factly.

"Oh, well I guess I can't fault your reasoning. Anyways, I got your message, obviously. I was just wondering where you were, what your arrival time might be. We thought we'd take you out to dinner tonight, catch up. It's been a while since everyone's seen you."

"Oh that sounds wonderful, Russ! I find that I'm rather excited to see the girls again. It's been too long- oh, hold on one second. Booth is trying to call me," Brennan rolled her eyes and pressed decline. "Sorry, he's been relentless."

"Tempe, it's okay, you can talk to Booth and call me back-"

"No. I don't want to talk to Booth."

"Oh…Well okay. So… When do you think you'll be in town?"

"Traffic hasn't been too bad today, so I've been able to meet my timed landmarks early. I'm currently passing a town called Rocky Mount, and my GPS says that I should arrive in about two hours and forty-six minutes, so approximately four-thirty." Brennan smiled.

"Oh wow, you _are_ making great time, Tempe."

"Thank you! Okay, well, I should probably let you go, you have to go get the girls from school soon, don't you?"

"Yeah, okay. Keep me updated, okay? Call me back when you're close, love you."

"Love you too, Russ."

Brennan hit the end button and returned her music to its obnoxious volume. The current song had a strong beat that she decided she really liked and would have to purchase later. For now, she returned to her uncharacteristic and awkward dancing.

* * *

"Seeley, how many of those have you had?" Hannah asked, pointing to the glass in Booth's hand as she hung her coat on the rack.

"I stopped counting…"

"Baby, I know something happened between you and Temperance, I called her today." Hannah said quietly. "I knew something was up last night. You're never that rough with me, although it was a nice change, I knew you were really angry about something, so I figured it had to do with the case you guys just closed, so I just figured it'd be easier to talk to her about it…"

"She actually answered your call? What the fuck! I've been trying to call her all damn day!" He slammed his glass on the coffee table. "What'd she tell you?"

"Oh you know, just that you guys had a serious talk last night and that I shouldn't be worried, but of course because she told me not to worry, that's all I've been doing."

"Okay, so what _exactly_ did she tell you?"

Hannah sighed, not sure that she actually wanted to breech the subject in entirety. "She was honest. Completely and painfully honest." She sighed, knowing that now she would have to divulge every detail of their conversation. "She told me that the case had gotten to her, that she had connected with the victim and it made her realize that she'd been an idiot to throw away her chances to be with you."

Hannah wiped at a tear she hadn't felt form. "She told me that she got the message from the universe 'albeit a little late,' but that she didn't want to have any regrets. But she also told me that she wasn't going to ask you to leave me."

Booth sighed and let his head fall into his hands. "Is that it?"

"No… She told me that she kissed you…Twice. And then you drove her home, and didn't walk her inside. She said she was thankful that you didn't. She doesn't like it when you see her so raw and emotional. But I'm pretty sure she didn't want me to tell you that last bit."

"No, probably not…"

"So what now, Seeley? Do you love her? Do you want to be with her?"

"I love _you_, Hannah. I do, I really do," Booth said, hands still cradling his head.

Hannah took a deep breath. "You didn't answer my question."

"This isn't the kind of thing we should be discussing when I've been drinking…."

"Now you're avoiding the question, Seeley." Hannah could feel a sob building in the back of her throat, tears almost falling over the barrier.

He looked up tentatively. "Hannah, I love you. I want to build a life with you."

"But I will always be second best, Seeley, right?"

"You're not a consolation prize, Hannah. I love you. I. Love. You." Booth shot to his feet, angry now that she was so accusing.

"You love her more, I know you do. Admit it! You've always loved her." Hannah backed away. "I can't believe you used me like this," she spat, the tears overflowing.

"Hannah, no, it's not like that! I wasn't using you!"

"Oh please! Don't you think for a minute that I didn't see the way you looked at her. From the moment I got to DC, every second we spent together, I never saw you once look at me the way you look at her, Seeley. Just admit it. You love her. Say it! Say it out loud! Stop lying to yourself! Stop lying to me! I deserve better, Seeley. I never should have followed you back here." She said with a note of finality.

"You really want to hear me say it? Okay, fine, Hannah. I loved her. I love her. But she broke my heart, Hannah. She ripped it out of my chest and threw it on the pavement." He yelled, wishing he had something to throw. "She ripped it out and threw it away and stomped it into nothing. She broke me, Hannah. You put me back together. You were there for me, are there for me. I love you now. I'll get over her. I love you…"

Hannah got the full impact of his words, and though she was still angry, she spoke barely above a whisper. "You'll never love me like you love her, Seeley. And, you know what? That's okay, because I know that we would never work in the long run."

Booth gaze was suddenly piercing. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we never wanted the same things, Seeley. You want a wife, kids, a big house with a backyard and a porch swing."

"Are they such bad things to want?"

"No, they're wonderful things to want. You are going to make some woman very happy one day, and if your luck has come back to you, it'll be Temperance." Hannah sighed and stepped back toward him. She placed her hands on his cheeks, forcing him to look her in the eye. "I'm saying that I don't want those things. Not right now, not for a while. I like living my life as freely as I do. I love my job, I love traveling. I love you, but I can see now that we just aren't meant to be."

Booth couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Hannah I-" Hannah silenced him with a kiss. It wasn't passionate, it wasn't sexy. Hannah's face was damp with tears, and she sniffled, trying to clear the tear-thick snot that kept her from breathing. This kiss was heartbreak. Hannah pulled away with a muffled sob, and Booth held back one of his own. "I'm so sorry…" Booth whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I know."

"I do love you, Hannah. I really do."

"I know."

"So this is it?"

"It won't take you long to get over me, Seeley. Don't worry." Hannah pulled his face down, placing a quick kiss to his forehead. "I can have my things packed within twenty minutes, ten if you decide you want to help…"

Booth closed his eyes and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Only if you want me to." He sighed.

"I'll be fine by myself, I have been so far, right?" She chuckled sadly and walked toward the bedroom where her suitcases awaited her.

Booth sat down on the couch again and topped off his glass of scotch. There was so much running through his mind, but he couldn't even find words to express the feelings inside his own head, so he just stared off into space and sipped on his scotch while he waited for Hannah to finish packing.

"Okay," Hannah sighed as she walked back into the living room, two suitcases in hand. "I guess that's it…"

Booth looked up at her, not sure how to respond. "Yeah… You good? Have everything, I mean?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

"Oh… Okay then."

"Seeley?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"If you want, I can call Temperance again. I'm fairly certain that you are the only one she is ignoring calls from… I could tell her what happened? Or, just that you're very angry at her for ignoring your calls… If you want, I mean." She bit at her fingernails nervously, having found nowhere else to put her hands.

"No, you don't have to do that for me… Not unless you want to… I won't use you that way."

Hannah scoffed internally. _So he'll use me to attempt – and fail – to get over Temperance, but he won't use me for a simple phone call? Seriously?_

"I'll call her. Leave a message. She should know what's going on." Hannah replied curtly, pulling her phone from her back pocket and punching in Brennan's number. She put a hand over the receiver and whispered "Its ringing! Oh, never mind. It went to voicemail. I leave a message."

"Of course it did…" He muttered to himself.

"Hey, Temperance, it's Hannah. Seeley didn't ask me to call you, this is all of my own accord. I just wanted to see if you had a safe trip. Call me back soon, I have something important to tell you. Bye."

"You didn't have to do that…"

"Its okay, I wanted to. She has a right to know…" Hannah looked to her feet, feeling more than uncomfortable in Booth's apartment. "I should go before it gets too late… I need to find a hotel…"

"Yeah…"

"Okay…" Booth stood up and walked over to her, opening his arms for one last hug. Hannah accepted, and though it was awkward, it felt nice that there was a finality to it. "Okay then…"

"Okay…" Hannah smiled half-heartedly. "See you…"

"Yeah, see you," Booth followed her to the door and waved as she walked down the hall towards the elevator, waiting until she was out of sight to shut the door and turn the locks.

* * *

"Amy, hi, it's me Temperance. I was just calling to let you know that I'm about thirty minutes out."

"Oh great! I'll let Russ know, and I'll get the girls ready. He says that we'll leave for dinner shortly after you arrive."

"Okay, I'll see you soon, bye."

Brennan's mind was racing, thoughts flying by faster than she could comprehend their meaning.

_This was a silly idea. I shouldn't have come. Russ shouldn't be burdened with my ridiculous problems. I'm an adult, I should be able to handle things on my own. Booth would say that it is okay to ask for help. I don't really care what Booth thinks. Who am I kidding. Of course I care. Frankly, his is the only opinion I actually care to hear. I like it when he talks, especially to me. I miss talking to him. Temperance, no. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since we last spoke. Missing him is ridiculous. I shouldn't miss him. I shouldn't. But… I do. I miss him. If he wasn't the reason for my duress, I'm sure I would be asking him for consolation. He's the only person I want to be consoled by. That's irrational. Irrational but true…._

Brennan sighed as her GPS's navigational voice brought her out of her ambivalent thoughts. "In one hundred yards, turn right. Your destination is on the left."

She smiled as she pulled into her brother's driveway, waving to her bouncing nieces. She put the car in park and sighed contentedly. The drive was over, and she was exactly where she (thought) she wanted to be.

"Aunt Temperance hi! It's been forever since we've seen you!" Hayley exclaimed.

"I missed you so much!" Emma added.

The girls rushed Brennan as she stepped out of the car and stretched, her joints popping from being in the same position for too long.

"I missed you very much," she said as she enveloped them in a dual hug. When they released her, Amy gave her a quick embrace.

"It's so good to see you. Russ has been trying to get you to come back to town for a while, I'm glad it finally worked."

"I can't say the circumstances are pleasant, but I too am glad to be here. I forgot how beautiful this area is. I really should visit more often."

Russ smiled on as his four favorite ladies conversed and caught up for a few moments before herding everyone to the family car so they could make their dinner reservation.

Dinner was pleasant, filled with updates on Hayley's health and Emma's superior ranking within the school orchestra. Brennan told them about her adventures in Maluku. She refused to meet Russ's eyes across the table though; she feared she would break down in public.

As they conversed freely, Brennan downed her bottles of cider as they come to her. Russ eyed her, casually keeping count of her drinks. _Booth must've really fucked up if she's trying to drink away the pain… _He thought to himself before he waved down their waiter and silently asked him to close Brennan's tab.

"Thanks for dinner, Russ. It was delicious," Brennan said warmly as she and the rest of her small family walked toward the entrance.

"No problem, Tempe. It's nice to have you in town again, I didn't realize how much I missed you."

"Awww!" She leaned into Russ and gave him a tight hug.

"I think you've passed the window for safe driving Tempe…" Russ said as he noted his sister's affection along with her slightly off balance state.

"You would be correct. I shouldn't have had that last cider," Brennan placed a hand on Russ's shoulder to steady herself. "You think you could drive me to my hotel?"

"Of course, Tempe. I'll have Amy follow so we won't have to pick you up and bring you back to your car in the morning,"

Brennan gave him a thumbs up, unhooked her keys from her belt loop and handed them over before she made her way to the passenger side of her Prius. She watched as her brother kissed his wife briefly, and she couldn't help but think about Booth doing that to her. She shook her head in an attempt to rid her mind of the thought.

"Tempe? You okay?"

"Wha- Oh. Yes. I was just shaking off a thought. That's all." She gave her most reassuring smile before buckling her seatbelt. The ride to Brennan's hotel was short, it was only a few minutes from the restaurant and only a few more from Russ and Amy's house. Russ parked as close to the main entrance as he could manage before he got out and grabbed both of Brennan's bags.

Before he led her inside, Amy and the girls came over to wish a good night and give her hugs. Brennan kissed both of the girl's foreheads and promised them good beach fun in the days to come. Amy got another quick embrace and a kiss from Russ with a promise of his quick return before he led Brennan inside.

Russ slid the card into the key slot and opened the door when the green light signaled successful entry, letting Brennan slid past him into the darkened room. He placed the bags on the edge of the bed and turned to his sister who was now looking at herself intently in the mirror.

"Marco?"

Brennan's shoulders shook as the sobs she'd been holding in all day crashed over her. "Po…lo…" She huffed, trying to no avail to reign in the sobs. Russ put a hand on her shoulder and turned her around into a full on brotherly hug.

* * *

_**Hey, Hi, Hello. I hope you liked this chapter, even though it took me much longer than anticipated to write it. I know I lied. And I'm sorry. You didn't get to see Brennan drunk on a beach, but I swear to Cheesus that that will be in the next chapter. In fact, most of the chapter will consist of Brennan ignoring Booth and the Squint-Squad and then turning to rant to her sister in law about how stupid she was to fall in love with such a great guy, and then not tell said great guy how much she actually loved him until he had moved on and was in a serious relationship with another woman. WOW THAT WAS A MOUTHFULL.**_

_**I've been playing with the idea for a few weeks now that I would try to participate in the Bonesology Hiatus Drabble Challenge, but as I've been working on my drabbles, they've turned into something more along the lines of oneshots. I couldn't help myself. So, that's why the delay. I've been working on a few other Bones stories, and while I probably won't complete the challenge before the hiatus is over, I hope that I will complete the entire prompt list (I've already written out mini prompts that correspond to the prompts from Bonesology) sometime in the near future. So. Yeah. That's that.**_

_**I've also been reading a shit ton of Bones Fics here and over on AO3, so that has also taken up a lot of my time. I hope you don't hate me. But, I do have a lot of inspiration now, so maybe I'll have more than one chapter up this week? Or at least another Bones Fic of my own. Who knows? I've never had so many ideas at one time and I am really struggling to get them all down in one way or another. **_

_**Thank you for understanding and (hopefully) trying to be patient. Thank you so much for your continued support and love for this little story of mine. It means the world to me that people actually enjoy my writing. And now that I have bored you all with my RIDICULOUSLY LONG Authors Note, I will bid you good night. Best Wishes, my loves xoxoxo**_

_**P.S. Also, I know that this Authors Note has been like all over the damn place (mostly because I wrote different parts of it at different times, and I just keep adding on to it,) but thank you to those who read the entire novel of a note, and understood everything I was trying to convey. I love you guys. Thanks. Kbai 3 **_


	4. Part 4

_**HOLY SHIT GUYS. You never told me that it's been almost a month since my last update! I feel bad now. Sorry, time got away from me. But, since it is my Birthday(!) I thought it would be a great idea to get off of my flabby ass and post a chapter, even if it doesn't live up to what I had hoped for it. Don't worry, kids. There's going to be a little more angst, but I will have you know, I am a B&amp;B shipper through and through, so they are most definitely the end game here. And I promise it will be sweet. So, so sweet.**_

_**OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: I ONLY WISH I OWNED BONES. UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT. SO I WILL JUST CONTINUE TO PLAY IN THE SANDBOX.**_

* * *

"Ughhh!" Brennan groaned as she rolled over onto her back on the pillows. Her phone sat on the nightstand, chirping happily. She wanted nothing more than to pick it up and chuck it across the room, but she knew she had to keep in contact with the Jeffersonian at least. Grudgingly so, she picks up her phone and sighs when she looks at the display. Seven new voicemails since she had left DC yesterday morning. _You would think that they would have realized by now that I have no desire to talk to any of them. Especially after I told them all so. _ She sighed again and pressed play as she made her way to the kitchen to start some coffee.

_-"Bones, where are you? Please call me back? I'm worried."-_

_-"Bones, really. This is so unlike you. We need to talk. Call me back."-_

_-"Bones, did you really not tell anyone where you were going? That isn't very safe. What if something happens to you? Bones, come on please? We need to talk about last night."-_

_-"Hey sweetie, Booth was just here. He tried to squeeze information from me and Cam, but it's not like we actually have any information to give him. He did tell me that he wasn't the one who did anything wrong, but, regardless of whether or not he is right, you are my best friend and I have to stick up for you, even if you are the one in the wrong. I love you, sweetie. Call me soon."-_

_-"It's me again. I can't believe you didn't tell _anyone_ where you were going. Bones. Please, just answer the phone?"-_

_-"Bones. This is getting out of hand. You know that I am just going to keep calling and leaving messages, so maybe you should just answer so that you can stop listening to these annoying messages."-_

_-"__Hey, Temperance, it's Hannah. Seeley didn't ask me to call you, this is all of my own accord. I just wanted to see if you had a safe trip. Call me back soon, I have something important to tell you. Bye.__"-_

The only message that caught Brennan's eye was Hannah's so she immediately dialed her back. Hannah picked up on the second ring. "Hi, Temperance. How are you?"

"I'm well, I suppose. I was just returning your call from last night. You said there was something you wished to speak with me about?"

"Yes, Seeley says that you refuse to answer the phone when he calls, so I figured you'd rather hear the news-"

"Booth told you to call? I won't speak with him-"

"Temperance, no, it's just me calling. Seeley isn't here. We… We broke up last night. Which means that you can come home now. He's all yours."

"Wha- Hannah. I don't understand. Why did you and Booth break up?" Brennan's eyebrows stitched together in confusion as she stirred her mug of coffee.

Hannah scoffed. "Why? _Why? _Temperance, you are a lovely friend, but sometimes you can be ridiculously obtuse. Seeley is in love with you and has been for probably as long as he's known you. The only reason we got together is because he's been trying to get over you because you never wanted him back. He was trying to find happiness without you, and what do you go and do? Decide to tell him that you finally reciprocate feelings for him. We were amazing together, you know. He's the best guy I've ever been with. I came home to him drinking himself into a stupor because you told him that you loved him, and he couldn't tell me that he didn't love you more than me. So we ended it. I won't stand for being second best. I'm worth more than second best, Temperance."

"Hannah, I-"

"Save it, Temperance. I have better ways to waste my time than listening to you attempt to deny your feelings for him. I'm done, have a nice day."

Hannah disconnected the call before Brennan even had a chance to refute.

_Booth and Hannah broke up. Booth and Hannah broke up because he doesn't love Hannah like he loves me. Booth loves me? That doesn't make any sense. Why would he love me after everything I've put him through? I can't think about this right now. I came here to spend some time with my brother and his family, to get away from Booth. I don't want to think about him right now. Right now, I am going to go get drunk on the beach._

Brennan nodded to herself and placed her now empty mug in the sink before heading back to the bedroom to get dressed. Before she had even unzipped her suitcase, her phone began to chirp happily again, so she picked it up from the bed and checked the display. _Incoming call from: SA Seeley Booth._ Without a second thought, she swiped the 'deny call' button and turned her phone to vibrate before discarding it on the bed again. She was tired of the happy chirping.

After dressing and taking a quick trip to the store, Brennan sat comfortably in the sand, a bottle of hard cider in one hand and a novel in the other. Every five minutes, on the mark, her phone would start buzzing with another call from Booth, and she would continue to ignore it as she had all morning. Four bottles of cider and a completed novel later, Brennan found herself scrolling through her contacts list. She knew that Russ was working this afternoon and wouldn't be free until well after 6pm. Amy, however, had said something at dinner the night before about having today off of work. Brennan clicked Amy's contact card and typed out a new text message.

_Brennan: Hi Amy, I was wondering if you might be interested in joining me at the beach?_

_Amy: Sure! Are u utilizing the section of beach provided by the resort ur staying at?_

_Brennan: Yes, I am stationed directly in front of the stairs, midway to water's edge. See you soon?_

_Amy: Yes :] I just have to fish out my beachwear and grab my beach bag. See u in about 30_

* * *

Brennan had downed another two bottles and ignored several more calls from Booth by the time Amy made her way down the beach access stairs toward her.

"I figured you might be hungry, so I stopped and got us some lunch." Amy set her beach bag down next to Brennan, opened her chair, and sat down.

"Amy! Hi. That was so considerate of you! I actually am a little hungry, now that I think about it. What did you get?"

"Well, I got you a Greek Salad and a bowl of French Onion Soup with a Baguette and Blueberry Scone for desert." She said, handing the bag of food over.

"That sounds wonderful," Brennan paused as she opened the bag to inspect its contents, sticking her nose in to smell. "Mmm. It smells delicious, thank you."

"Is that your phone buzzing?" Amy asked as she checked her own phone. "If its work, don't mind me."

"Oh, no. It's just Booth. He's been calling nonstop since he found out that I left town… I don't want to talk to him right now though, so I will continue to ignore his calls. I would turn my phone off, but it needs to be on in case anyone at the lab needs me."

"Oh.. Okay." Amy temporarily let the subject go in favor of digging into her own lunch.

* * *

When the women had finished their lunch, Amy sighed before prompting her sister-in-law. "Are you feeling better today? I noticed you were quite tense last night…"

"I'm actually enjoying the beach more than I thought I would. The ambient noise of the ocean waves is actually quite relaxing." Brennan smiled. "Although, I believe the cider is inhibiting my mood as well."

"It does have that affect, yes." Amy smiled back at her sister-in-law. "So, are you going to tell me what it is that has you fleeing to the beach?"

Brennan sighed, acknowledging the two sides of her that equally wanted and didn't want to talk about her situation. Taking a large drag from her fresh bottle of cider, she delved into her side of the story.

"I can't believe I was so stupid. All I ever wanted was to do well in school, graduate, and snag the job of my dreams. And I did. I'm the foremost in my field; people come to me from all over the world for advice. But… Then he swooped in and he just… He just. I don't know."

"Stole your heart?" Amy asked tenderly.

"That simply isn't possible. If he had stolen my heart, I would be dead."

"Tempe, you aren't drunk enough. I'm talking about the emotional heart."

"Oh… Right. Booth says I think too literally all the time. He says that I need to learn to shut my brain off. I don't want to turn my brain off, though. I quite like the way I am. The way I used to be anyways. I'm such an idiot."

"You're not an idiot, Tempe, you're in love."

Brennan took another long drag. "How can he do that to me?"

"Do what?"

"I was working, I like being enveloped in my work, it's comforting. But, the FBI needed an important case solved and he just showed up in my life. I helped him solve the case, and we spent almost the entire time doing what Angela would call 'eye sex,' though I don't think that that is a real thing. And then he fired me, after getting me drunk, and we ended up behind the bar in the rain, and we kissed. It was more than just a kiss, Amy. I've kissed many men in my years, but… This was different. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't just a kiss. And then it was over, and we spent the rest of our time together arguing and snapping at each other. As soon as we'd solved it, I ran. We didn't see each other again for a year. I made my assistant screen my calls, and the security guards were notified not to let him into the building if I was there."

"You were scared, you were feeling things you'd never felt before. It's perfectly normal, Tempe."

"Ever since that night, I've always run from him when he voiced his feelings. He told me once that the FBI would sever our partnership if we were to become romantic partners. I care about him too much, I care about the work we do together too much. I can't let romantic feelings get in the way of the work we do." Brennan snapped the lid on a new bottle of cider as she sighed. "Even though I knew that I wanted more with him, I couldn't risk losing our partnership over a short-lived romance. I'd much rather spend time with him being friends and solving cases than being romantic and not being able to help the FBI solve the murders of innocents."

"I can see that. Isn't the FBI willing to bend the rules a little though? Russ tells me that you and Booth have the highest solve rate on the east coast. The FBI wouldn't dream of severing a partnership over something as trivial as two partners getting along with each other too well."

"I can't risk it. I don't take risks. I'm a scientist, Amy. I always choose the situation with the better predicted outcome. Well. I amend that. I didn't used to take risks. Of course, when I decided it was the time to do so, Booth had moved on, was in a committed relationship with another woman. I just expected him to leave her like it was nothing. How could I be so thoughtless? Booth is an honest man, would never leave one woman just to be with another, regardless of the amount of time spent pining after said woman."

"I'm going to need the story, Tempe. What happened?"

Brennan sucked the dregs from her now empty bottle, switching it out for a new one. "Oh… Which time? The most recent confession of love for the other, or the first?"

"I think you should start with the first, since if I understand correctly, it led to the current situation."

"I suppose you're right," Brennan sighed. "Just over a year ago, Booth and I had just finished our last partner's therapy session. We gave Dr. Sweets permission to study us, so he could understand better why it was that our partnership worked so well, since our personalities shouldn't have melded as they did. He wrote a book about us, documenting our partnership and our relationship along with all of the psychology psychobabble that he loves so much. Our last session was meant for Booth and I to critique the book. Of course, I knew that Dr. Sweets conclusion was that we were in love with each other, which I suppose he was correct on, but I am very stubborn, and I was scared and altogether not ready to fully admit that to anyone, much less myself. So, I told Booth that I didn't care about the conclusion. I cared about the facts, and the facts were, Sweets made a lot of conclusions about us, even though he was unaware of our first case together. So, we told him about the case, and Booth firing me, and us kissing outside the bar. Sweets was upset that we had waited so long to tell him, and concluded that all of his theory's and findings were now rubbish, but one of us had to break the stalemate. He said it had to be Booth, because he is the Gambler. I wish he hadn't phrased it that way though. I believe if he had chosen a better way to put it, Booth wouldn't have rushed into his confession. It was sick of Sweets to play on Booth's handicap that way…" She trailed off, opening the bottle of cider she'd been holding and taking a swig.

"As soon as the words left Sweets mouth, I was terrified. I knew what Booth was going to do next, and I hoped he wouldn't, because I knew his emotions were clouding his judgment. When we left the Hoover, we stopped walking, and he turned to me and told me that he knew. He knew that night that we kissed that there was something more between us, that he wanted to give us a shot. He gambled on our partnership. I can't gamble. I never could. He kissed me again, and it was painful for me to pull away, but he didn't use the right words. He didn't tell me that he loved me. He told me that he wanted to give us a shot. And when I told him no, he immediately told me that he had to try to move on. I nodded in agreement even though I didn't actually agree, and our friendship began to fade. We were distant from each other. We tried to date other people, and then the Gravedigger was murdered, and I got the call about the Maluku project. So many things were happening, and I just needed some time. The Maluku project truly couldn't have come at a better time. It was a once in a lifetime chance. What was I supposed to say? 'No, I can't come because I love my partner and he loves me but we keep missing our chances and I don't want to risk missing another?'" She paused, taking another long drag as tears began to form.

"I didn't even get to tell him that I'd accepted the job, Daisy Wick squealed it out to Sweets in a fit of excitement, and he'd assumed that I had already shared the news with Booth and ended up telling him that I had accepted the position. I felt horrible afterwards, but I'm glad he knew. I'm not sure I would have been able to tell him without breaking down. But it's alright I suppose. He got a letter from the military, they asked him to re-enlist for a year to help with Afghani training, and since I would also be gone for a year, he accepted and that was that."

Amy placed a sympathetic hand on Brennan's shoulder.

Brennan huffed, trying to keep the tears from falling. "Did you know that he snuck off of the military base to see me off at the airport? They wouldn't give him a day pass. He snuck off base to see me off, and I didn't even get a hug." The tears were flowing freely now. "He held my hand as we made plans to meet on the Mall a year from that day, and then he pulled away and walked off, and we went our separate ways." She took another drag before continuing. "We didn't make it a full year though, Cam needed our help solving the case of a missing toddler so she wouldn't lose her job, so we all returned early. Booth and I still met on the Mall. I had had a lot of time to think while I was in Maluku, and I had come to the conclusion that nothing bad could come from finally crossing that dreaded line into a romantic relationship, and I thought I would be able to tell him that when we met again, but he showed me a picture of Hannah, and his face… It just…" Brennan let out an involuntary sob. "He lit up at the mention of this other woman. I was crushed, but I compartmentalized. I just want Booth to be happy, and if she makes him happy, then I shouldn't complain." Brennan couldn't bring herself to tell Amy that Booth and Hannah had broken up and it was all her fault.

"I guess I just messed that up for him too. I was so selfish, Amy. I don't know what came over me."

"Why were you selfish?" Amy prodded.

"We just closed a case. Angela's term was 'It hit close to home.' I over identified with the victim. I realized that I didn't want to live with regrets anymore. I kissed Booth in the rain after he saved me from being hit by a car because I wasn't paying attention. I kissed him and told him that I'd finally realized, much too late, that I wanted him. I wanted him to leave Hannah, but of course I told him that I didn't want him to. He drove me home, and I cried most of the night before calling Russ."

"I think it will all work out in the end." Amy whispered reassuringly.

"You do?" Brennan asked with a skeptical sniffle.

"Of course!" Amy smiled and rubbed circles on Brennan's back.

Brennan tilted her head to the side. "What is your reasoning?"

Amy laughed. "Even when inebriated, you are still ridiculously rational. I believe in love, Temperance, and I believe that two people who have sought after the other for as long as you and Seeley have, it's bound to end well."

"You really think so?"

"Yes. Love will out, I like to think. Do you know what else I think?"

"Of course not. I don't believe telepathy exists, so I couldn't possibly know what you are thinking currently, although it would be an interesting ability to possess."

Amy dropped her head and laughed. "I agree, it would be an interesting ability, but that isn't the point. What I think is that you could call him. He obviously wants to talk to you. He's been calling in five minute intervals since I arrived, and that was several hours ago."

"I wouldn't know what to say, Amy. I may be a bestselling author, but I tend to be bad with words in personal situations."

"I think you'll be okay. It's Booth we're talking about here. You always have something to say to him, don't you?"

Brennan smiled and nodded in agreement. "I'm glad you are part of my family, Amy. I don't know what I would do without you. It's nice talking to someone who understands me like Booth does but isn't Booth."

Amy stood and pulled Brennan up with her, embracing her tightly before she had a chance to lose her balance. "Aww, honey. I love you too. I couldn't imagine my life without you or your brother. You both have been a wonderful addition to my family." Amy released Brennan from the hug, only to grab her again to keep her from falling. "So, what's the verdict? Have I been helpful? Do you feel any better than you did when you got here yesterday?

Brennan heaved a sigh and sniffled, her tears finally coming to a halt. "I feel much better, but still incredibly awful."

"That's probably the ten bottles of cider you've ingested in the last two hours."

"Mostly, yes." Brennan sighed. "Would you mind walking me back to my condo? I'm afraid I won't make it in once piece."

"Of course, Temperance. I'd hate it if you were split into multiple pieces. You aren't as effective that way." Amy smiled at the attempted joke, and Brennan took one look at her sister-in-law and burst into tearful laughter.

"That's funny… Because… Hahaha… It's funny because if I were in multiple pieces I wouldn't be alive, therefore completely useless. Hahaha." Brennan snickered as Amy led her from the beach, a supportive arm around her waist.

* * *

_**This got really wordy really fast, and I apologize, although I suppose it could make up for the fact that I haven't updated in nearly a month. I hope you don't mind. I have to ask. Do you think that I am capturing Brennan well? She's quite a difficult character to harness, so I'd just like your honest input there.**_

_**Things are well in my kingdom. Today I celebrate my 21**__**st**__** birthday, so that's neat. I won't be getting smashed until the weekend though. I'm hoping that the next chapter will be here sooner rather than later, and may be a bit shorter. Hopefully. I think we will be seeing a B&amp;B conversation on the horizon. Maybe even some fluff. Who knows? Until next time, best wishes! xoxoxox**_

_**P.S. AS ALWAYS, I HAVE NO BETA, SO PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES OR INACCURACIES YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED DURING YOUR READ THROUGH!**_


	5. Part 5

_**As always, Bones belongs to Fox and Hart. I'm merely playing in the sandbox. Happy reading!**_

Booth paced in front of his desk, methodically pressing redial at five minute intervals until his body ached from the measured movement. He took a glance at his watch to realize that it was much later than he thought, and decided to pack up and head home for the night. Brennan hadn't picked up all day, so she wouldn't mind a bit of silence for an hour or two as he picked up dinner and went home.

After he lazily scarfed down a cheeseburger and fries from the diner, he fished his phone from his jacket pocket and pressed dial once more, holding the phone halfheartedly to his ear as he popped the last french fry into his mouth and reached for the remote to change the channel. The phone rang twice in his ear before he was met with a crackling silence.

"Oh my god. You actually picked up. I wasn't expecting you to pick up. Um. Hi?"

Brennan doesn't respond.

"Bones? Are you there?"

She sighs. "Yes, I am here, Booth. I just don't know what to say. Amy said that I should answer, so I answered."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you did… I'm worried about you." He said as he sat up from the couch and replaced the remote on the coffee table.

"Why?"

Booth spluttered. He didn't really know why he worried about her. Because he cared about her? Because he loved her? He decided he'd better stick with the former as an explanation for now. "Because I care about you, Bones, and I know that you're upset. It's unnerving that you just decided to up and leave out of the blue, you never do anything like that, especially without telling anyone where you're going."

"If I told anyone where I was going, then you would have just pried the information from them and come down here and dragged me home. Am I wrong?" Brennan stated quietly.

"Well, no. But, now that you've told me where you are, I am going to come down there, but I wont drag you home."

"What? I didn't tell you where I am, Booth."

"Not specifically, no. But you said that Amy told you to answer your phone. That means that you are in North Carolina visiting your brother, and I happen to have access to his address."

Brennan mentally smacked herself for not being more careful. "Booth-"

"No, Bones. We have to stop running away from each other. This time, I'm running towards you, and you better be waiting for me when I get there."

"Are you running to me because of what Hannah said?"

"What? What did Hannah say? I mean, I know she called you and left a message, but that's it… What else did she say, Bones?"

"Nothing, Booth. It was nothing, I'm over it." She sighed again. "So when should I expect to see you?"

"That's it? I don't even have to bother persuading you to let me come see you?"

"No Booth, you don't. I know that I will fail at keeping you away like I always do, so what time should I expect you? I'll need to go down to the office and get you a parking pass." She sighed into the receiver.

"Oh, well okay. I guess I will leave here as soon as I'm up in the morning, so I should be there around noon I'd guess."

"Okay."

"…Okay…"

"I'm still fairly drunk, so I'm going to go order some take out before bed. Goodnight, Booth. See you tomorrow." Brennan yawned.

"Right, yeah. Tomorrow. Sleep well, Temperance."

Brennan smiled at his use of her given name before pressing the end button and locking her phone.

_**Okay, so I know that this is a hella short chapter, and I apologize for that. It just seemed like the right place to end it. Doing page breaks just didn't feel right for this one. I'm especially sorry given the fact that it has been written for some time, and it has taken me 4 months to post it. Life has been… Life. I'm sorry.**_

_**For those who are following/favoriting, thank you so much! Please take a few seconds to leave me a review, as they feed my muse and help pump chapters out. This story is winding down now, so I'm thinking there will only be 2-3 more chapters before I end it. Don't worry though! I'm planning a sequel of sorts. It will follow the events of this story, and basically, I'm just creating my own Bones Universe within the one that is Canon. Anyways, I'm rambling. I need to get back to work on chapter 6! See you guys soon xoxoxoxo**_


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